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Monday, May 28, 2018

Narrative Point of View: Staying in Your Lane

When my daughter-in-law first moved
here from China, among the first things she wanted was to get her driver’s
license. She had never driven a car; she had never even been in the front seat
of one.

I told
her learning to drive looks differently depending on where
you are seated inside the car. To prove my point, I gave her a quick driving
lesson.

First, I verbalized
all the steps I took, both physically and mentally, as I cruised around our three-acre
property.

Next, we changed
places and I walked her through all the same steps while she drove in between
the house and the other four buildings on our place.I helped her ease around corners, made her
stop, start, reverse, and change direction and course. The last trip around, I told her to drive the
car and I would not say a word until I told her to stop.

As the
final step, I asked her to sit in the back seat while I drove into town on an
errand. It was too soon to let her do anything but observe, but I hoped she was
more aware of what it took to drive. I
wanted her to examine her perspective and see how it had changed.

What does
this have to do with narrative point of view?

Everything.

In second
person narrative, “you” are the
instructor.You give the directions and make
comments. Opinions are thrown in extra at no cost. Though the driver is the
central person in the car, the driver’s vision is limited, while the passenger is
better able to both listen to the instructions and look about and see what is
happening both inside and outside the car. The driver decides the course but the person
addressed as “you” sees how the
instruction and the narrative come together.

In first
person narrative, “I” is the driver.
The responsibility shifts onto “I’s” shoulders. The narrator relates the driving
experience through what is seen, handled, smelled, or heard. “I” reacts when he/she goes through a
red light or experiences a skid. Driving a car may be second nature to many of
us now, but remember how it felt the first time we took off in Mom’s car?

In third
person narrative, the narrator’s viewpoint shifts to that of the passenger. The
narrator is there to observe and recount what the others are doing as they
travel down the road. If seated in the
front seat, the narrative is expressed through more action and less telling
because “his or her” actions are up
close and tangible. If seated in the back seat, the scope widens with the
distance. The narrator is able to observe everyone inside the car, along with
some of what is happening outside. As more passengers come along for the ride,
each one adds their own voice, personality, and quirks. Everyone will have an
opinion on the speed limit, when to stop for lunch, and who gets to sit by the
window the next time we all climb back into the car.

On your
next trip through a novel, whether as a reader or as a writer, keep an eye on
the narrative point of view.Where are
you seated?Who gets to call the shots?
Is everyone staying in their own lane?